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Colin Cross

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Stunning Chateau in the beautiful Charente Maritime, SW France

Overview

Photos and Description of this 8 bedroom holiday chateau / country house in Saint-Jean-d'Angely area - Le Pignaud

A wonderful private chateau with lots of space for large family groups sleeps 15

Stunning privately owned Chateau in a hamlet, set in 4 acres & south facing. This is our family house, it is very private but not remote, looking out over open fields and vineyards. A super chateau if you are looking for a large house for 2 or 3 families to share or a holiday for an extended family with a large age range. It is in a quiet location with lots of space for children to kick footballs, hit tennis balls or ride bikes. But also plenty of private corners in which to read some of the hundreds of books or just sunbathe. Salon, dining room with open fire, well equipped kitchen, games room with table tennis and pool table, plus free wifi and satellite TV. 4 acres of private grounds with swimming pool, bikes, children’s area. The swimming pool is in a separate walled garden through a door next to the barn. 15 minutes drive to Cognac for the distilleries or St Jean D'Angely for the restaurants and farmers markets. Explore the Roman amphitheatre in nearby Saintes.

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Reviews

4.8

based on 14 holidaymaker reviews

Perfect Holiday For All The Family

5
of 5

There was 12 of us (8 adults and 4 children) that stayed at this stunning home. The location of the chateau is breathtaking surrounded by golden fields of sunflowers. If you are looking for a peaceful destination to unwind and enjoy great food and wine with accompanied friends or family, this is the place to stay. The property has been looked after fantastically by the owner (who was very helpful with any queries we had) with a large welcoming kitchen diner, a games room fully equipped with table tennis and snooker equipment and a computer with a vast library of old songs which bought back some memories! There's a supply of board games which bought the competitive streak out of us old time friends after a few glasses of fine vino! The kids lived in the swimming pool area which was safely gated with cushioned deck chairs to enjoy the weather! The pool temperature was fine for the kids to stay in most of the day and dry off in the large play area surrounding the grounds! We enjoyed the BBQ area too eating al fresco. A local baker would come regularly most mornings although there is a supermarket and indulgent bakery a short distance away from the property to enjoy the fresh bread and morning croissants. We took the kids for a walk around the area which they enjoyed taking some memorable photos with the backdrop of the sunflower fields! St jean de Angeles and saintes are towns near the location which we visited for a great day out to see the abbey and boutiques!

I would thoroughly recommend this home and location to visitors who want to enjoy a relaxing holiday at a slow pace! A beautiful home which I will definitely holiday in again!!

Beautiful location

4
of 5

Just returned home after a weeks stay with 13 people! Ranging from 9 years to 70+. A wonderful place with a great pool which we all enjoyed.

The bedrooms were fine and the facilities good. However if your are 70+ watch the back stairs which can be tricky however there is a warning on the information given by Colin and after all you are staying in a chateau!

Just sit outside in the sunshine watched over by the sunflowers and enjoy life.Great for all the family of what ever age.Turn of the phone, get the kids to turn off the games/I pads if you can! and live.

We held a competition based on a famous talent show bringing an old fashioned lifestyle to life again, great fun. Would we go back yes we would!

Get on the bikes provided, visit the local bar. Have table tennis and snooker competitions. Relax in the salon, imagine you own the place read from a large selection of books, drink the local wine and don't forget to water the window boxes! Watch out for the local bread man

and above all don't play football when you are past 70 years of age.Enjoy!

BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY

Sometimes if you return to the same holiday location for a second time it doesn't quite live up to how you first remember it, this could not be further from the truth about this holiday.

My extended family visited for a week back in 2010 and had a wonderful time so when a was suggested by friends the idea of a week in France I instantly wanted to return.

Our group of 16 ranged from a one year old baby through to forty eight year olds, including two teenagers so quite an age spread.

The beauty of the chateau hits you immediately as you arrive through the front gates, but it is not until you investigate the whole of the property that you realise what a true gem it is.

Extremely comfortable beds throughout, an incredibly well stocked kitchen, great games room with lots of bats and balls for sporting activities in the front paddock, the sun trap that is the pool area and as much as anything the safety knowing that the kids can play to there hearts content in the various areas outside which are all gated.

Six nights out of seven we all enjoyed a barbecue sat around the candlelit table outside the front of the house whilst the kids played around us.

The surrounding area holds so many great places to visit, either by car or by one of the many bicycles within the chateau.

All in all this property is an absolute joy to sample and left us all wanting more. A return visit for us is a certainty!

Holiday Heaven

5
of 5

My family and I (14 in total) have had a wonderful holiday in this lovely property. It's a charming house, tastefully decorated and comfortably accommodates a large group of people. It's very child friendly but equally has facilities to suit teenagers and adults. Although the weather was quite cool at times, we took advantage of dining outside when possible and had some wonderful meals. The pool was well maintained by Thierry but only the more hardy members of the group managed a dip! There is lots of information available in the chateau regarding shopping and dining in surrounding towns and villages: all easily accessible on quiet, flat roads. Both Colin (the owner) and Thierry (neighbour) are very helpful and supportive, nothing is too much trouble. I thoroughly recommend the chateau for a chilled and relaxing holiday and we plan to return for another 'holiday heaven'.

Review Submitted: Jun 7, 2014

Date of Stay: May 2014

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you for your kind comments and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon!

A great house for a family holiday

4
of 5

The chateau could not be bettered for a large family holiday. Our party comprised of :grandparents (us), 3 offspring, their partners and 4 small children - the youngest 7 months. The bedroom space was perfect, giving everyone their own room, including the baby. The division of the house worked well, although we did have to concede the largest bedroom in order not to be in charge of the early mornings!

It was good to have separate bathrooms, the showers were small but worked well.

The kitchen was large and well-equipped, the small TV in the adjoining room was well-used by the little ones; the salon was handy for the adults who wished some quiet (ie snoozing) time. A few fiercely competitive games of table-tennis ensued with no-one managing to beat Grandad - again.

The pool was amazing. The temperatures were unusually high - 35 degrees most days, rising to 40, so we were told. Unfortunately this meant that the large grassed area in front of the chateau was not as well-used for football, cricket, rugby, learning to ride a bike as it would have been: it was literally too hot. But the pool was in constant use - a good size for the adults to do some lengths; deep enough for the 6 year old to dive and jump; while the smaller children were safe in the shallow end. All improved their swimming skills and lost any fear of water. Cover it at night and the water temperature is perfect. It was cleaned regularly by Thierry.

The outside areas were wonderful for family meals late into the night, as well as the more mundane, but most useful, well-used washing line.

We cycled to the bar at Aumagne, where the braver ones played tennis on the excellent courts - again, because of the heat, this was not as often as we would have liked. The bar owners were most kind and we ended up ordering the bread from them, picking it up each morning, as we never managed to see the bread lady - perhaps she was on holiday?! We hoped to have a meal there but ran out of time.

As a large group we mostly ate in the garden but separately had meals in St Jean d'Angely, at Le Scorlion - quite expensive but very good food.

We had a wonderful holiday - my proviso would be to recognise that this is an old characterful property, with all the charm and some of the downs: the odd wildlife sharing your room, temperamental taps, etc. But you would struggle to find a more lovely place to have a family holiday.

Review Submitted: Aug 27, 2013

Date of Stay: Jul 2013

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Thank you very much for your feedback - I am so pleased your party had such a wionderful stay at the chateau.

The perfect holiday retreat!

5
of 5

We have just returned from two utterly blissful weeks at this wonderful chateau deep in the Charentes Maritime region and I would recommend it thoroughly for anyone wanting to enjoy the best that the French countryside has to offer.

From the moment of our first arrival we were bowled over by the beautiful chateau and its extensive and well maintained grounds. Even in a large party across three generations there was plenty of room for everyone to have their own space and plenty to occupy even the most restless of teenagers!

The setting in the tiny hamlet of Le Pignaud was idyllic, and the local towns of Matha and St Jean d'Angely were only a few miles away, meaning that restaurtants, markets, shops and super-markets were all within easy reach.

The chateau itself was very clean and well-maintained, and incredibly well equipped with every amenity we could wish for. There were countless bikes of every shape and size available to explore the local (and fortunately flat!) countryside, and a beautiful and secluded pool to relax in and around. There was plenty of open lawns for football, badminton and other sports, and a charming seating area under the trees to enjoy meal times in the shade.

The bedrooms were all very comfortable with enough showers and bathrooms to cope with the largest of parties! Downstairs the games room with a pool table and table-tennis was a big hit with the children and adults alike, and the Sky TV and wireless internet meant that even on the wet days everyone had enough to keep themselves fully occupied.

All in all the chateau was an absolute delight, and we returned home having had one of the most enjoyable and thoroughly chilled-out holidays we have ever had!

The Chateau faces south over open fields in the small hamlet of Le Pignaud near Aumagne where there is a post office, shop, bar and tennis courts. Supermarkets and farmers markets are approx 10 minutes drive away in the delightful market towns of Matha or St Jean D'Angely. You will also find a range of restaurant options in the towns from Gourmet to Pizza.

The beaches of Royan and La Palmyre are about 45mins drive SW or one hour NW takes you to La Rochelle.

Cognac and the distilleries are a 15 minute drive or a lovely day trip by bike - just don't drink too much at lunchtime!

The surrounding countryside is fairly flat which is great for cycling and falls within the Cognac production area so there are a lot of small producers of Cognac and Pineau - a local fortified wine, which is why it is better to explore by bike! The area is very unspoiled with pretty villages and friendly locals and with excellent restaurants and markets nearby.

Other Activities: Large water park in St Jean D'Angely with indoor pool etc.

Additional pricing information

The rental rates include electricity and bed linen. Please note though that we do not provide towels - please make sure you bring your own.

A Security Deposit of £250 is payable upon booking. This deposit is held until the end of the rental, when it will be refunded once the itemised telephone a/c has been received - telephone is recharged at cost, plus any major breakages, damage or dirtiness.
25% of the total rental amount is payable 6 months prior to the holiday start date.
The balance of 75% of the rental is payable 8 weeks prior to arrival date.

Please Note: The owner of this property accepts payment in the original currency specified (GBP), before use of conversion tool. The conversion tool is provided for your convenience only. The owner may accept other currencies if specifically agreed in advance.

There is a large central staircase. In the East Wing of the Chateau there are 3 double bedrooms each with en-suite shower rooms. The largest bedroom contains a King size bed and a pretty day bed that can also be used as an additional single bed. A second door opens on to a back corridor outside these rooms where there is an additional shower room & WC adjacent to a further bedroom with two single beds. On the other side of the central staircase in the West Wing is the Master four poster bedded room. This also opens on to a second back landing with the Cot Room right next door, then the twin Empire bedded room, then the West Wing double room and then a bathroom with WC. There are also some back stairs back to the ground floor. Even though the 4 poster does not have an ensuite we like it best as it is a huge room and 2m (Super King Size) wide bed. With the exception of the Cot Room & the East Wing room with the single beds, all bedrooms face south over the front gardens.

Entertainment:

Books ...

Books - Fiction / Non-fiction

Books for Kids

CD Player

DVD Player ...

Game Room

MP3 Dock

Ping Pong Table

Pool Table

Satellite / Cable ...

Stereo ...

Television ...

Toys

Outside:

Barbecue

Beach Umbrellas

Bicycles

Child's Swing

Deck Furniture

Large Cooler

Garden

Outdoor Furniture

Barbecue ...

18 garden chairs

9 deck chairs

Suitability:

children welcome

non smoking only ...

pets not allowed ...

suitable for elderly or infirm

wheelchair inaccessible

Pool / Spa:

Outdoor Pool

Private Pool ...

Attractions:

churches

museums

restaurants

ruins

water parks

winery tours

Leisure Activities:

scenic drives

sight seeing

walking

Local Services & Businesses:

ATM/bank

fitness centre

groceries

hospital

massage therapist

medical services

Sports & Adventure Activities:

cycling

fishing

golf

swimming

tennis

Notes:

It is a great house for children with lots of space indoors and outside. The main stairs are wide and fine for mobile elderly people, however as there is no downstairs bedroom accommodation and there are three entry steps to the house it is unfortunately not suitable for the disabled.
There are 2 televisions with satellite TV (one French in the Salon, one British in the Dining Room) and one DVD player in the Salon. There is wireless broadband internet access and also a PC in the games room. The PC is now getting old, but has a large library of music on it that can be played through the stereo using Media Player. There is a FM/DAB stereo with CD player and iPod docking station in the Salon. There are 12 bikes in various states of repair which guests are free to use.
The Salon has two huge cupboards stocked with books, and the Games Room has a pool table, table tennis table and various children's toys.
We are not smokers and smoking is not permitted anywhere in the house.